1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a hand tool for installing a waste disposer sink mount. More particularly, the present invention relates to a clamp or installation apparatus for carrying a waste disposer upper sink mount assembly to a mount position and for locking the upper sink mount assembly in the mount position for enabling manual installation of a mount-retaining snap ring upon a drain-received sink flange.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art sparsely descriptive with regard to tools specifically designed for aiding in the installation of a waste disposer sink mounting assembly upon a drain-received sink flange. Certain prior art generally related to the function of the present invention as well as certain prior art related to sink flange installation methodology and the like are briefly described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,481,061 ('061 patent), which issued to Hunter, discloses a Machine for Removing Tires from Rims. In this regard, the '061 patent teaches a machine comprising a table structure including a top and legs depending therefrom, said legs being provided at their lower ends with notches, a spider arranged within the lower portion of the table structure and including arms having their outer ends received within said notches, said arms being provided at their outer ends with upwardly projecting heads adapted to engage the outer walls of said legs, an upstanding shaft secured to the spider and extending above the table structure, a removing spider slidable upon the shaft and having arms to engage the rim to force the same from the tire while the tire is supported upon said table top, and an operating element screw threaded upon the upper portion of the shaft and engaging the removing spider.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,407 ('407 patent), which issued to Araujo, discloses a Screw Threaded Freeze Plug Pull-out Tool with Work Engaging Means. The '407 patent teaches a plug pull-out tool for removing a plug from an engine block, with said plug having a hole drilled therein for receiving an end of said tool, said tool comprising means to engage side walls of said hole, a V-shaped support to straddle the plug to be removed, said V-shaped support having a threaded opening extending through the apex thereof, and bisecting the V, a screw in threaded engagement with said opening, a handle secured to the end of the screw extending outward from the apex of the V-shaped support, a reduced cylindrical portion extending axially from the end of said screw within the V-shape support, said means to engage the side walls of said hole, comprising a flat U-shaped member positionable on said reduced cylindrical portion in an inclined manner, a button head of substantially the same diameter as said screw secured to the outer end of said reduced cylindrical portion, adapted to retain said U-shaped member on said reduced portion, whereby the reduced cylindrical portion with the U-shaped member in an inclined position can be inserted in the hole of said plug, upon rotation of said screw said U-shaped member assumes a position at right angle to said cylindrical portion, and upon continuing rotating said screw will force the U-shaped member to bear against the walls of the hole and thereby remove the plug from the engine block.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,054 ('054 patent), which issued to Zeilenga discloses certain methodology for Installing a Sink Drain Flange Assembly, which assembly is capable of supporting a garbage disposal. The '054 patent teaches a removable clamping device for firmly holding a drain flange within the drain hole of a sink, so that one can assemble around the depending body of the flange which body is disposed below the sink one or more rings and a split spring type ring or Cee-shaped keeper so that the rings are maintained around the body of the flange and in turn a garbage disposal may be mounted to the rings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,853 ('853 patent), which issued to Herook, discloses a Garbage Disposal Flange Assembly Tool. The '853 patent teaches a tool for the installation of a sink flange and garbage disposal mounting flange assembly in the drain opening of a sink, such tool including a generally U-shaped member with the tops of each side thereof extending outward, a shaft member affixed to a central portion of the U-shaped member extending between the sides thereof, such shaft receiving the mounting flange assembly and having a threaded portion passed through the drain opening in the sink in which is positioned the sink flange and on which shaft is positioned a retention member, such shaft passing through an aperture centrally defined in such retention member with a handle member having a threaded engagement aperture to be screwed down on the shaft to retain the sink flange and garbage disposal mounting flange structure in place during installation thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,779 ('279 patent), which issued to Collins, Jr. et al., discloses a Jack Mechanism having Safety Protection for Workers. The '279 patent describes a high/low screw jack stand mechanism is presented having inner and outer telescoping tubes for coarse elevational adjustment and having an adjustment screw and nut assembly for fine elevational adjustment. For coarse adjustment a thrust washer, surrounding the inner work elevation tube, permits free upward movement of the elevating tube relative to the outer support tube and is automatically positioned in angular binding relation with the elevating tube by a thrust washer positioner which has supporting engagement with one side of the thrust washer to restrain downward movement of the elevating tube. A thrust washer restraint member extends upwardly from and in spaced relation with the thrust washer positioner to restrain the thrust washer from moving upwardly along with the elevation tube. To ensure against possible injury to workers when the thrust washer is manually moved to its release position, an inner stop is provided within the support tube to limit downward movement of the elevating tube to a position at which the adjustment nut and elevation tube support flange is sufficiently spaced from the thrust washer and its restraint that injury cannot occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,024,743 ('743 patent), which issued to Heaton, discloses a Garbage Macerator Installation Mount. The '743 patent teaches a support assembly useful in aligning and mounting a garbage disposal to the drain fitting of a sink includes a base provided with a vertical tube segment supporting a nut assembly threadably engaged to a rod partly received in the segment with the upper rod end supporting an adapter conformed to the disposal. An offset bar fixed to the rod exterior engages a lateral recess on the segment to fix the rod in rotation as the nut assembly is turned. The assembly may include rods of differing lengths and adapters of various forms.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0065881, authored by Walton et al., teaches a device that can be used for installing or removing a garbage disposal unit while allowing the user to keep his hands free. GDL is comprised of a jack, jack handle, base, and platform. A user utilizes this device by securing a garbage disposal unit on the platform and jacking the garbage disposal unit into or out of position under the mounting assembly. The user can then use two free hands to maneuver the garbage disposal unit.
From an inspection of the foregoing disclosures as well as from a consideration of the art in general, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach or otherwise disclose a clamp assembly comprising a cooperative carriage and a carriage guide for clamping a waste disposal mounting assembly adjacent a drain-received sink flange. The prior art thus perceives a need for such an apparatus that provides distinct advantages over prior or current hand tools designed to aid installation technicians when installing waste disposal units as set forth in more detail hereinafter.